


She Will Fight

by Axelrocks



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Season 2 AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-23
Updated: 2014-07-04
Packaged: 2018-02-05 21:14:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1832500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Axelrocks/pseuds/Axelrocks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU of 2x07. Carol decides that she's going to look for Sophia on her own after the scene in front of the barn with Shane. A certain crossbow-wielding redneck decides she isn't going alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This was technically my first TWD story ever! I took the confrontation scene in front of the barn, decided to add more Carol and bam! This came out of it! Hope you like it!

**Chapter 1**

Four days.

Her daughter had been missing for four days. It felt like it had been longer, as if each day had been more than twenty-four hours. At night, she willed time to move faster but the minutes seemed to get longer and longer every time she wanted them to hurry up and tick past. Night meant sleep and sleep meant nightmares.

Carol hadn't slept much in the past four days. The tears had dried up on the first night and each night after that she counted the tiles on the ceiling of the RV.

Fifty-six. That was how many squares that lined the ceiling.

The Cherokee rose on the dresser had begun to wilt, even though she had changed the water in the old beer bottle. The thought of the gift slowly dying saddened her and in a moment of impulse she grabbed it by the stem and pressed it between the pages of the book she had been reading. She knew this way she would be able to keep it longer.

"Carol," the RV's door squeaked open and Lori peeked her head in. "Can you help me with breakfast? Everyone is starting to get up and I want them to get something to eat before they go and look for Sophia."  _And I know if I make breakfast, I'll puke._ Was the unspoken part. After Lori had finally told Rick about her pregnancy, Carol had been the first to know. She felt sorry for the woman. She couldn't imagine being pregnant in this world.

She hadn't even noticed the sun coming up or the sounds of the others in camp. Pulling back the curtain that covered the tiny window near the bed, she looked out to see who all was up and was surprised to find Daryl sitting in one of the lawn chairs.

He rarely took his meals with the others and when he did come up to get his food, it was after everyone else had gone their separate ways. Ever since they had left the quarry, she had longed to know more about the man underneath the dirt but never had the courage to speak to him.

Maybe today would be the day she'd speak with him, have an actual conversation and thank him, again, for all that he had done for Sophia. Every day he had gone out looking and would probably have been gearing up now if he hadn't been injured.

She followed Lori to where there supplies were gathered and hand was handed a handful of fresh eggs and a pan.

"Can you scramble these? I think that's all we should make for breakfast now."

Carol nodded and went back to the fire. Daryl was the only one there and she offered him a smile and squatted down to start cooking.

"You're up early." She finally gathered up the courage to say, but didn't have the courage to look him in the eye as she said it.

"Yeah," he grunted and chewed on his thumbnail. "Couldn't stay in that fuckin' tent a second longer."

Eyes on the egg, she began to scramble them. "So, you were getting a little stir crazy, then?"

"You can say that, I s'pose." The lawn chair creaked slightly as he fidgeted in it.

"I hope you're hungry." She smiled. "These are done and they smell real good." She stood up with the pan and was surprised to find the rest of the group had gathered around the fire without her noticing them.

"We're starving!" T-Dog rubbed his growling belly with a smile.

"Okay, why don't you all grab plates and I'll scoop some out for you."

T-Dog had been the first to show up with a plate, eager for his food, and had even grabbed one for Daryl, who hadn't moved from his spot.

"Here you go!" She chuckled and scooped a spoonful on to his plate, then moved over to Daryl and did the same thing.

"Thanks." He mumbled and dug in.

T-Dog had been more enthusiastic about his thank you and gave her kiss on the cheek before he set down to eat his food. She smiled widely at him and went to feed the rest of the group.

It felt nice to smile.

* * *

The warm air suddenly turned to ice when Glenn announced that there were walkers in the barn. The eggs in her mouth turned to ash and she felt Daryl tense in the chair next to her.

Shane and Rick were on their feet immediately, their breakfasts deserted by their chairs.

"What the hell do you mean there's walkers in the barn?" Shane took a step closer to the Asian, his face twisted in anger.

"I-I mean, that Maggie's dad has locked up walkers in the barn." Glenn looked nervous and his eyes shifted between Shane and Rick.

Shane shook his head violently, glared at Rick and stalked towards the barn. Rick followed close behind and the rest of the group followed him.

* * *

It had been true. The barn was full of snarling, hungry walkers. To think they had spent nights on the farm and not known it. What if the barn had broken open? They all could have been easily killed in their sleep. The thought made Carol shudder.

These past few days had been hard for her, sometimes she thought about what she would do if Sophia really was...dead. It would break her, she knew, but wouldn't opt out. No, she'd live for her daughter.

She didn't even know the group had stopped until she ran into the redneck in front of her. He turned and gave her a glare and she mumbled a 'sorry' back. She really needed to get out of her head and pay attention to what was going on around her.

However, after looking around, she wished she could go back to her thoughts or just leave. Shane was yelling about something. He wanted to leave, but Rick was telling him they couldn't leave the farm.

"Why?" He asked angrily.

"Because my daughter is still out there." She found herself saying and stepping forward. They couldn't leave until they found her baby girl. She was still out there, she just knew it!

"Look, Carol, I think it's time that we consider the other possibility."

No! She wouldn't start thinking about her daughter being dead. She wouldn't.

"Shane!" Rick interrupted. "We're not leaving Sophia behind."

She quietly thanked the former sheriff.

"We're close to finding this girl," Daryl stepped up from behind her. "I just found her damn doll two days ago."

"You found her doll, Daryl." Shane shouted and with evident dislike for the other man. "That's what you did, you found a doll!"

What Shane didn't know was that mentioned doll was now sitting on the neatly made bed in the RV patiently waiting for its owner to return.

Daryl took a few steps toward the former deputy, angry. It was often hard to tell when the man  _wasn't_  angry. It was clear as day now and came off him in waves.

All she wanted to do was reach a hand out and comfort him somehow, but that would probably subject her to his wrath and that was the last thing she wanted right now.

Then he was off, flinging an arm out and shouting, "Man, you don't know what the hell you're talkin' about!"

The hand she had reached out to comfort with was now covering her mouth as a gasp escaped. This wasn't what she wanted to happen. A fight. They were supposed to be a group. They were surviving together and the last thing they needed was to cause a rift.

He had immediately come to her defense when Shane had tried to make them think that Sophia was dead. Words couldn't describe how grateful she was for this man.

He had started as an outsider, him and his loud mouth brother, and seemed to not want to interact with any other member of the group. Then his brother went missing and even though he had been angry, she could tell that some kind of weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Then, Sophia had gone missing and he had become relentless in his search. He had even given her comforting words, well as comforting as Daryl Dixon could get, and had even given her a flower.

That beautiful Cherokee rose that was now pressed into the pages of her book.

A small smile graced her lips at the memory, but then she was pulled back to reality and that smile vanished. Rick was now trying to calm down Shane, but the other man didn't want anything to do with it.

"Man, I'm just saying what needs to be said! Now, you get a good lead and it's in the first forty-eight hours and after that-"

Rick jumped in. "Shane, stop!" But the man kept going as if he hadn't heard his 'best' friend talk.

"Let me tell you something else, man." He continued with a slight smirk directed at Daryl. "If she was alive out there and saw you coming, all methed out with your buck knife and geek ears 'round your neck, she would run in the other direction!"

She had no idea how she had reached Shane so fast, since Daryl was lunging at him as well. But the loud  _slap!_  that echoed through the group caused everyone to pause and look at her in surprise and disbelief.

Little mousy, weak Carol Peletier had actually stood up for herself and struck someone. She had never hit anyone in her entire life.

Shane looked unfazed by the slap and now was glaring at her. Keeping her still stinging hand close to her chest, she mustered a glare right back.

"You take those words back, right now." She said through gritted teeth.

Shane scoffed. "I ain't said nothing that wasn't true."

"You're going around acting like you know  _my_  daughter!" She shouted and ignored the stunned silence around her as she stabbed a finger at the man in front of her. "Now, you listen up, Shane Walsh, I gave birth to that girl, I raised that girl and protected her from her daddy. She knows what kind of men to run away from and I'm staring at one right now."

His eyes widened and his mouth opened, ready to speak, but she didn't want to hear anymore of it. She turned on her heel and marched past the rest of the group, her head held high. She could feel everyone's eyes boring into her back as she made her way to Dale's RV but didn't turn around to acknowledge them.

She should have told them to never underestimate her.

* * *

Stuffing clothes and any spare goods she could find, Carol packed up her large bag. If they all thought Sophia was dead, then she would prove them all wrong. She would search for her daughter, find her and bring her back safe and sound.

And if she had to do it alone, then that was okay by her. No one would miss her anyway. All she did around camp was cook and do laundry. Anyone could do that.

She slipped the now heavy bag over her head, moved to swing open the RV door and was surprised to find herself running face first into a strong chest.

 _Please, don't be Shane,_ she thought before she slowly allowed her eyes to travel up the chest in front of her and meet the man's eyes.

It was Daryl.

His eyes raked over her and stopped on the bag over her shoulder

"Where you goin'?" He asked gruffly. "You ain't runnin' away, are you? Look, if you're worried about people hatin' you for what you did to Shane then you don't have to worry about a thing. The asshole deserved it."

Her eyes widened. He had never spoken that much to her, or anyone, before. Instead of saying anything, she just shook her head and tried to side step him, but he grabbed her wrist. Then, lightening fast, he let it go when she turned back around to face him.

"I'm going to look for my daughter."

"By yourself?"

She nodded and made to move again, but he stepped in front of her.

"Look, lady, that's a suicide mission. Going into the woods by yourself and without any type of weapon. Are you askin' to become one of them things?"

"No one else is going to look for her and I know she has to be out there somewhere. Besides, it's about time I get off my ass and do something!"

With wide eyes, he took a step away from her. He had never seen her angry before today.

"Fine." He grumbled. "Gimme a couple minutes and I'll meet you by the barn."

"What are you doing?"

"Goin' with you, of course." He said it as if she had been stupid for asking.

"You can't. You're still hurt."

He shrugged. "I don't care and I ain't lettin' you go out there alone. None of these other assholes are gonna go with you, so I might as well."

She wanted to ask him why he cared so much. Why did he want to find Sophia so bad? He didn't owe any of them anything.

"Five minutes and then we'll be off." He didn't even wait for her to say anything before he was walking in the direction of his tent.

Carol's heart fluttered as she watched him go. There was something about that man she was drawn to. She wanted to know him better. Wanted to meet the real man under all that anger and gruffness.

* * *

True to his word, Daryl met her by the barn five minutes later with his crossbow securely on his back and a bag of his own in his hand.

"Here." He shoved something at her and it took her a minute to realize it's a handgun.

"I don't know how to shoot one of these." Never in her life had she shot a gun before, but she took it from him anyway.

"Jus' aim and pull the trigger. Hopefully you won't have to use it at all." Then he shoved something else at her and this time it's a knife. "Use this instead of the gun, if you can. But don't hesitate to fire if your life's in danger."

Nodding, she took the knife and stuck it in her pocket. The gun was already stuffed into the waistband of her pants and in easy reach in case she had to use it. Which she hoped she wouldn't.

"You ready?" The crossbow shifted on his back when he adjusted the strap.

Doubt crept into her mind. Should they really be doing this? What if someone needed her while they were gone? What if Daryl got hurt even worse while they were out there and she had no way to help him? What if-

"Hey, you all right?"

She wanted to say yes, but her mind screamed no. Were they stupid for doing this? What if Sophia was really...dead? What of this was a futile mission?

A calloused hand wrapped around her bicep and shook her gently. She looked up to find Daryl closer than he had been a few seconds ago. His eyes, his  _beautiful_ blue eyes, were studying her face and for a moment, she thought she had seen concern in them.

"I-I'm fine." She finally managed to choke out and stepped out of his grip. He nodded awkwardly and brought his arm back to his side. "D-Do you think we should tell someone before we just leave? If they notice you gone, then they might go looking for you."

"Me?" He stepped back. "What about you?"

She didn't look at him as she explained. "You go out and hunt for food, Daryl. Without you, we'd probably starve. All I do is cook and do laundry. Those are hardly useful things now."

"Well fuck, if it wasn't for you, lady-"

"Carol." She interrupted.

"I, uh, I know your name." He didn't look at her as he said it.

"Oh, okay." She hid a smile. It was true that there weren't many people in their group and everyone knew everyone's name, but it was still nice to hear him admit he knew hers.

"Like I was sayin'," he began again. "If it weren't for you, my ass would be dead. Your cookin' is the only cookin' I can fuckin' stand. Rick's wife burns her shit and Andrea, I ain't even gonna mention her cookin'."

Lori had an excuse for burning the food she made. Halfway through she would have to get up and was sick. Her pregnancy wasn't being easy on her and Andrea probably had never cooked before the world ended.

"And I told Rick where we were goin'." He added. "Told me that we shouldn't be out here longer than two days, so let's get a move on."

With one last glance at the camp behind her, she hurried after the man with a crossbow. Instead of dread seeping into her bones, she felt hope. Hope that the two them would find her little girl and bring her back with them safely.


	2. Chapter Two

Daryl eyed the woman walking beside him as they made their way through the woods, stepping over tree roots and ducking under branches. When he had first seen her, back at the quarry, she seemed like such a mousy thing. Fear constantly marred her features whenever her bastard of a husband was around. There had been times, though, when he had seen her with her little girl. She always teased the girl and it was clear Sophia loved her mama.

Now, she walked with confidence with her chin held high. She had slapped Shane and obviously felt no regret.

_She slapped that asshole for you._

It was true. Shane had gone after him, verbally attacking him, and she had rushed forward to hit him. Told the son of a bitch that he didn't know her daughter and had no right to say what men she'd run from.

A rush of...gratitude had gone through him as he watched her stomp away and knew that he'd have to thank her for what she had done. No one had ever stuck up for him before, not his brother or even his mother, and it felt nice.

"Hey, Carol..." He tried to ignore how nice her name sounded on his tongue.

"Yeah?" Her head turned to look at them and they stopped walking. "Is there something wrong, Daryl?"

He shook his head and adjusted the strap of his crossbow. His eyes focused on his boots. "I jus' wanted to say thank you, for what you did back there."

"For slapping Shane?"

He nodded and met her eyes briefly.

"It was no problem." She smiled. "Like you said, he deserved it and he had no right to say those things about you."

He shifted in his spot. "What if he was right? What if your little girl did see me and ran the other way? I ain't exactly the most approachable person."

"Daryl Dixon!" He started at the sharpness of her tone. "Are you implying that my daughter is stupid?"

"What?" His eyes widened in shock and he backed away from her. "No, 'course not."

"She'd never run away from you. I-"

"I yelled at her and she got scared. I told her to put a sock in it and she cowered away from me. You can't tell me she ain't afraid of me."

"We were all pretty strung out that day. It was understandable that you snapped at her, even though I wasn't too happy at the time." She smirked.

He returned the smirk. "Yeah, I remember that. I'd never heard you yell at someone like that before."

She chuckled. "It was a first for me."

"Well, ain't I lucky to have been your first time, then?" The smile froze on his face when he realized what he had just said and the tips of his ears began to turn red. "Uh, I mean...well, fuck."

Carol chuckled good-heartedly. "I knew what you meant. But I wouldn't have minded if you had been my first time." She winked and began walking away.

All he could was stare at her, his jaw nearly crashing to the dirt. He really didn't know this woman at all.

* * *

Carol's face burned as she walked away from Daryl. Had she really said that to him? What did he think about her now? He was probably regretting deciding to go with her. She couldn't resist teasing him, though. He had set it up so perfectly and had looked so adorable when his ears turned red.

Adorable? She chuckled softly to herself. She wondered if he had ever been called adorable before.

"Hey!" He called after her.

When she turned, she found he hadn't moved from the spot that she'd left him at.

"You're goin' the wrong way. I found her doll over here." He pointed to the left of where she had been walking. With a deep breath, she turned and headed back the way she came.

"I figured I'd look for tracks around that fuckin' ravine I fell down." He said once she joined back up with him again and they began walking. "Her doll had to get down there somehow."

She listened and nodded. It sounded like a good idea to her.

"Be careful when we get there." He warned. "The dirt might crumble away underneath you and you take a tumble. It ain't pleasant, I'll tell you."

* * *

Daryl found where he had been thrown off that horse. Fuckin' Nervous Nellie. It had been easy to find, the dirt had been torn to shit with the horse's footprints and when he looked down the hill, carefully of course, he saw the dirt he had turned up as he took his fall.

Carol gasped beside him and his hand instantly went to the knife in his belt, but there wasn't a trace of any threat around. She had been peering down the same hill he was, when she had made that noise.

"What?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her. Scared the hell out of him. Thought there had been a walker sneaking up on them or something.

"That was quite a fall." She looked up at him, those pale blue eyes almost looked...watery.

Fuck. Was she gonna cry? He had no idea what to do if she did. He wasn't the greatest at comforting people.

"You could have easily been killed." Her hands covered over mouth and a tear slipped down her cheek. "It's all my fault! If I hadn't taken my eyes off her, then she wouldn't have run away and you wouldn't have to go looking for her."

The teasing Carol of before was gone and the anguish-filled one now stood in front of him and he had no idea what to fucking do. Crying women scared him and when she had filled her pillow with tears that first night in the RV, he had found himself getting up and leaving. Part of the reason was to look for her little girl and the other part was to escape from hearing her sorrow.

"Hey, uh, none of that now." He started and hoped he didn't sound as nervous as he felt. "I'm alive. It's gonna take more than a little fall to kill me. Only a Dixon can kill a Dixon. Remember that, a'right?"

She tried to give him a smile through her tears, but it turned it a grimace and fresh tears trailed down her cheeks.

"It is my fault, you know." Furiously, she began wiping away the moisture on her cheeks. "If I hadn't been looking at that damn shirt, she'd be here."

"Ain't no one's fault." He told her gruffly. "No one knew that fuckin' herd was goin' to blow through. Sometimes you can't prepare for every little thing."

His words seemed to ease the tears and this time she gave him a real smile. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"It ain't nothin'." He shrugged. "Now, let's go find that girl of yours."

* * *

Carol nearly collided with Daryl when he suddenly crouched down to inspect something on the ground. She had been in her thoughts as they walked and if she hadn't looked up at the last second, she would have sent them both toppling to the ground.

She briefly wondered what it would have felt like if she had fallen to the ground and he fallen on top of her. Would she enjoy his weight on her body? Probably. Daryl Dixon was a very handsome man and she admitted to herself that what she had said earlier, about wishing he had been her first, had been more than half-true. She bet Daryl would be way better in bed than Ed fucking Peletier had been.

A rush of heat went to her face when she realized he had been talking to her and she hadn't heard a word he'd said.

 _Stop thinking about having sex with Daryl!_  She scolded herself.  _You're out here to look for Sophia._ That thought immediately got her mind out of the gutter and she focused on what Daryl was saying.

"Looks like she went that way." He pointed off in a direction. "These tracks ain't that old, so she shouldn't be that far. Maybe a half a day ahead of us." He looked up at her and smiled.

He had such a nice smile and those eyes, they were so blue and those lips-

_Stop it, Carol!_

"That's great!" She cried and wanted to throw her arms around the redneck. She would have never been able to find her daughter's footsteps, let alone be able to track them. Daryl Dixon was really a Godsend.

Daryl stood up and shouldered his crossbow more securely on his back and looked at her from the corner of his eye.

"We're gonna have too look for a place to set up camp or somethin'. It's gonna be dark soon and I want us to be set before we can't see nothin'."

"Okay." She nodded. Maybe she'd be the one to find something. She needed to contribute something to their search. So far, all she had done was tease him and cry. What help that was.

"I hopin' we can follow these tracks and find a clearing or somethin'. That way it'd be easier for us to be on a look out for walkers." He winced as he stood; the stitches at his side had pulled.

Carol brushed a hand along his arm. "Maybe we should rest for a little. Let me check your stitches to make sure everything is okay."

"Naw," He began to walk away from her, but she was fast and had planted herself in front of him.

"I didn't agree to have you come with me, so you can hurt yourself more because you're being stubborn." She placed her hands on her hips. "Let me see your stitches."

Daryl's eyes narrowed as they stared at each other and neither one made a move. Carol tilted her head in a 'well?' gesture and finally, with an annoyed huff, he hitched the corner of his shirt high enough so she could see the bandage on his side.

With a triumphant smile, she stepped closer to examine it and found, to her relief, that the bandage was still white. No blood had seeped through.

"Told you, you didn't have to look at it." He pulled his shirt down. "Knew I was fine."

Carol rolled her eyes as he walked past.

Men.

* * *

It was getting darker and they hadn't found any sign of Sophia. Daryl kept his eyes peeled for that flash of blonde hair he was sure to see any minute now. He was going to find that little girl. He felt it. After all, he had found that damn flower.

"Daryl?"

Carol's soft voice caused him to stop and turn around. She wasn't looking at him and her gaze seemed to be focused on something up.

Not Sophia then.

"Do you think we could use that as a place to rest?" She lifted a hand and pointed to something in a tree.

Daryl followed the line of her index finger and his eyes fell on a deer stand neatly placed in a large tree. It was surrounded by camouflaged mesh and the only opening was for the entrance. It was pretty far off the ground and he knew no Walker would be able to reach them.

"Good find." He glanced at her, the corners of his lips curved up.

She smiled in pride and followed him as they walked towards it.

"We can't make a fire up there or anythin'," he called over his shoulder. "But we'll be able to sleep without havin' worry about one of them things sneakin' up on us."

"I brought a blanket, if we get cold." She added. "It's small but...we could share."

The words surprised him and he didn't know how to answer that. He supposed it would be the ideal thing to do, sharing body heat and all, but why would she want to be that close to him? She didn't know him.

Carol watched as his back stiffened at the mention of sharing a blanket and she immediately wanted to take the words back. Of course, he wouldn't like the idea of sharing. It was clear he didn't like touch and the idea of a woman, a woman he barely knew, snuggled up next to him probably didn't appeal to him.

 _Besides, who would want an old washed up hag like you?_  Ed's voice sneered in her mind and she quickly shut it down. He was dead and she no longer had to listen to him.

Daryl turned to face her and barely made eye contact before his eyes were skittering away again. "I'm gonna climb up first to make sure there ain't nothin' up there that'll surprise us. Why don't you get that knife out in case a Walker spots you?" Without another word, he was climbing up the ladder to the wooden stand.

Listening to him, she pulled the knife from her pocket and held it tightly in her right hand as she scanned the area. It was almost too dark to see anything and she hoped she would hear a Walker before it made an appearance. She didn't know how to handle a knife, well as a weapon anyway, but knew that she had to go for the brain.

What if the next Walker they saw was Sophia? Would she be able to kill her? Would she able to stab a knife through her daughter's head and have her blood splatter on her clothes? Would she look at her with milky eyes filled with hunger?

Oh God, she couldn't do that. Not to her own daughter. The knife fell to the dirt floor with a thump and she clasped her trembling hands together. Why was she out here? She was no use to anybody, she was useless. Daryl didn't need her, she was a burden. He'd probably tell her in the morning to stay in the stand while he searched and covered more ground.

Tears threatened to spill and she moved her hands to her face and wiped away the ones that slipped.

"Carol?" Daryl called down to her. "You comin'? It's safe."

He must have been calling her name for a while, because when she looked up at him he was giving her on odd look.

"You alright?" He asked when she took a seat across from him.

"Yeah." She gave him a weak smile. "I was just thinking." She slipped her bag over her head and placed it in front of them.

His hand twitched, almost like he wanted to touch her. "We'll find her."

"If anyone is able to find her, Daryl, it's you." She stuck her hand in her bag. "Are you hungry?" She needed to change the subject lest she start bawling. She knew tears made Daryl uncomfortable and the last thing she wanted to do was make him leave to sleep somewhere else. They were safe up here.

* * *

When Carol mentioned food, he realized he hadn't eaten anything since the eggs from breakfast. His stomach protested at its empty state and he nodded to her question. He hadn't thought to bring any food, only some extra clothes and a bullets for the gun Carol now had.

"I don't have much," she said as she dug around in her bag. "I have a couple of granola bars we can eat now and a can of peaches I swiped from the RV I was thinking we could save for breakfast."

Opening one of the granola bars she offered him, he took a large bite and start talking around it. "I was thinkin' that I can get up early and get a little huntin' done. Maybe get a squirrel or two. Could use the meat."

Taking her own bite, she nodded. "Let me know when you leave, then I can start a fire to cook it with. I brought matches."

"You just have everythin' in that bag." He smirked. "You don't have another grenade in there, do you?"

She smiled. "Nope. Sorry. That was just a one time deal."

"Damn," he muttered. "Could have used it out huntin'."

"There wouldn't be much of anything you tried to get if you did." She finished up her granola bar and wiped the crumbs off her leg.

He chuckled. "I know."

It was the first time she had heard him laugh and she found that she liked it. A lot. However, just as soon as it happened, he sobered back up again.

"You know, Carol, you saved all our asses that day." He didn't look at her. "Thank you."

She was surprised. He was actually thanking her for saving his life? How many times had he saved hers and Sophia's while they were on the road? The run from the CDC to the vehicles alone had equaled to him striking down a few Walkers from approaching them.

"I wasn't ready to die. Not like that. I was just fortunate that I did the laundry at the quarry, too."  _It was the only thing I was useful for._

"I, uh, I can teach you how to use that gun when we get back to the farm. You and your little girl, if you want." He seemed uncomfortable as he asked.

"I'd like that." She smiled. When Shane and Rick had lead their shooting practice, she had gone with but never participated. Instead, her eyes had been fixed on the tree line in hopes her daughter heard the shots and came running.

The silence stretched between them, but she didn't mind. She used that time to study as much of the man as she could in the darkness. This man, who carried his crossbow with confidence but hunched in on himself without it, clearly had an interesting past. One probably similar to hers. It was clear in the way he held himself and the way he flinched from any human contact.

In the few hours she had spent alone with him, she had seen so much more of him and there was so much more she wanted to see. Daryl cared. He wouldn't be out here risking his life to find her daughter, if he didn't.

The thought of her daughter being dead filled her with so much dread, she felt like she was choking on it, but she knew that if God saw it fit to call her little girl home early, at least she knew she wouldn't be alone.

She would still have Daryl, even if he didn't realize it.

* * *

"I think we should call it a night." He said after awhile. She had been staring at him for a few minutes now and it unnerved him. It was like she was trying to figure him out and he didn't know if he liked it or not.

"Okay," she agreed. "Let me just get that blanket out. I can already tell it's going to be a little chilly tonight."

He didn't say anything and watched as she pulled a pink blanket from her bag. At his raised eyebrow, she smiled.

"It's Sophia's. I thought that once we found her, she'd like something familiar to wrap herself in."

He nodded. "Good idea."

She unfolded the blanket and Daryl began to panic at the size. It would cover one of them nicely, but two people? They would have to huddle close for it to cover them.

"We're going to both need this tonight, so it's going to be a tight fit." She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but he wasn't looking at her and instead gnawed on his thumb as looked at the blanket.

Grabbing her bag, she situated herself and used it as a pillow. She covered herself with the blanket and patted the space behind her.

"Come on, Daryl. I don't bite."  _Unless you want me too._  She immediately quelled that idea and slammed her eyes shut.  _No more thinking of Daryl like that!_

It took him a moment to move, but soon he was using his own bag as a pillow and pressed his back to hers. The blanket barely covered them, but she knew that their shared body heat would keep them warm.

"Tomorrow we're gonna find your little girl." His gruff voice startled her. She had thought he had already fallen asleep. "We're gonna find her and she's gonna be mighty happy to see her mama."

And with that promise hanging in the air, Carol fell asleep with a smile on her face and a man she found herself developing feelings for, pressed to her back.


	3. Chapter Three

Daryl woke up feeling very warm...and comfortable. His face was buried in something soft and his arm was wrapped around something warm and moving.

 _Fuck!_  He didn't think he had ever moved that fast in his life and soon found his back pressed against the truck of the tree they were safe in and a good distance from the sleeping woman beside him. He had woken up with his nose buried in her short hair and his arm around her waist.

 _What the hell was wrong with him?_  He looked down at his crouch. "Well, fuck!" Jesus Christ, could anything more go wrong today.

"Daryl?"

It just did.

Carol turned to face him, eyes tired. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." He grumbled, hoping she didn't notice how much a certain part of his body liked being that close to a woman.

"You sure?"

Shit. She just kept going, didn't she?

"Said I was fine!" He snapped. Now, where the hell was his crossbow? He found it setting at the end of their feet and as he reached for it, he tried to ignore the flinch she gave when he snapped at her. Fuckin' woman, always so jumpy.

"I'm goin' go on a quick hunt." He stood up and moved to step over her. "Should be back in a half hour or so."

"Okay." She watched him climb down the ladder. "Be careful."

"Yeah, you too." He muttered back before disappearing into the woods.

It took him a couple minutes to calm down. Why had he thought it was a good idea to come with that woman? He should have known nothing good would come out of it. There was just something about her that made him uneasy.

She had a way of looking into his soul...or some shit like that. She had seen his scars and hadn't said anything. Hadn't pried into his personal life and hadn't scurried away. She understood the pain of someone who was supposed to love, but only hurt you instead.

Ed was lucky he was already dead, because Daryl knew he would have killed the bastard eventually. Getting chewed on by walkers would have seemed painless with what he would have done to him. No man deserved to live, especially after the things he had done to his wife and thought about doing with his daughter.

"I hope you're rottin' in hell, you sick bastard."

Something rustled in the bushes near him. His first thought was Sophia, but when it only turned out to be a rabbit his heart sank. That little girl needed to be found.

He killed the rabbit, though.

* * *

Carol gripped the small knife in one hand and picked up twigs with the other. Daryl would be back soon and she needed to get a fire started so they could cook whatever he had caught. Maybe he'd come back with Sophia...

With her bundle of twigs, she made her way back to the deer stand and began to start the fire. Grabbing her pack, she quickly found the matches and the pages of an old newspaper she had found and ripped up.

The fire was going strong in no time and she found herself watching the tree line in hopes of seeing Daryl walking through them. It had been closer to an hour since he had been gone and she couldn't help but start to feel uneasy. What if something had gotten him? What if he had gotten hurt again?

_It'd be my fault..._

Sitting with her back against the tree, she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. The fire pierced through the morning chill and warmed her. Was Sophia cold, too? Was she somewhere trying to huddle for warmth?

"I'm so sorry, baby," she said to the empty space in front of her. "I'm so sorry that I didn't keep a better eye on you."

* * *

Fuck.

He knew he shouldn't have gone for that deer. He didn't know what the hell he had been thinking. They couldn't be dragging around a deer carcass while they searched for that little girl. His brain hadn't been working properly, because the first thing that came to mind when he saw the doe step from the brush was how skinny Carol was looking and how hungry Sophia would be once they found her.

He had set his sights on it and was about to let the bolt fly when a lone walker suddenly appeared to his right. He had barely anytime to shoot it before it lunged at him. The arrow lodged itself in its brain, but the unexpected turn of his body had him falling to the ground with the walker falling on top of him. He shoved the body off him and felt a sharp pain in his side.

Shit.

The last couple stitches on his side had torn and now blood was trickling freely from the wound. He needed to get back to Carol in case the walker had any bodies near by and smelled his blood.

Standing up was difficult, the pain in his side causing him to gasp and see stars. He was such a fucking idiot. Once he was on his feet, he made sure the rabbit he had killed earlier was strapped securely to his belt and began making the trek back to camp and Carol.

Twenty minutes later, he all but stumbled into the camp. Carol, who had been sitting next to a small fire, shot to her feet was by him in seconds.

"What happened?" She looked him all over, panic clouded her eyes. She saw the blood seeping through his shirt and gasped.

"Walker." He grimaced as he set down the game he had hunted close to the fire.

"No." That one word was said with such anguish, that he had to look at her. Her eyes had filled with tears. It hit him then, she had thought he had been bitten.

"It came out of nowhere. I shot it before it could get me." He explained. "I just ripped a few stitches."

He could visibly see the relief flood through her body at the news. It was odd to see someone who obviously cared so much for his well-being.

 _She only cares cuz ya lookin' for her daughter, Darylina!_  He winced at the words spoken in his mind. He had thought the hallucinations of his older brother had been a one-time thing. Now, he was hearing him in his head.

Cool fingers on his abdomen caused him to jump in surprise. Carol backed up quickly and kept her hands on close to her sides.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I just wanted to take a look at your stitches."

"There ain't much you can do for it, right now." He knew that he hadn't thought to bring anything medical with them.

"I have some gauze and bandages in my bag." Without waiting for him to speak, she was off walking to her bag. Daryl followed.

"You jus' have everythin' in there, don't you?" He set his crossbow on the ground and prepared himself to take a seat. Settling against the tree, near the spot he had seen Carol earlier; he winced when the motion pulled at his side.

"I guess, you could say that." She threw a smile at him over her shoulder and went back to rummaging through her bag. "I just wasn't sure that when we found Sophia, if she would need any of this stuff."

Daryl couldn't help but smile at her use of  _when_. She had faith they would find her daughter, she had faith in  _him._

"Now," she was suddenly in front of him. "Let me see that wound, Mr. Dixon."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. It was odd seeing her act this way, since all she had done at camp was cry and worry about her daughter.

Gingerly he lifted up the side of his shirt, careful not to show her more skin than necessary. He knew she had seen his scars that night she had brought him food, but it didn't mean that he wanted to put them on display again.

"This doesn't look so bad." She sat on her knees and peered at the cut. "It looks like you've only ripped out two stitches."

"Don't feel lucky," he grumbled. "Hurts like a bitch."

"Well, it's about to hurt more," she set down the gauze and held up a nearly empty bottle of rubbing alcohol.

"Do you really have to put that shit on it?"

"Yeah, unless you want to get an infection." She poured some on a cotton ball. "That would mean more days of bed rest for you. I'd doubt you'd like that."

"Hell no." He looked away. "What're waitin' for? Get it over with already."

Without warning, she pressed the cotton ball to his wound and he let out a hiss. God, that fucking hurt.

"Sorry." She mumbled and continued to clean up the blood and his wound.

"S'alright."

After a few minutes, was done cleaning the wound went to work on the gauze. "I'm going to have to wrap this around your stomach, so it stays on better."

He nodded and lifted up more of his shirt.

Instantly she set to work wrapping it around him. Daryl watched her as she worked and couldn't help but like how close her body was near his. There had even been a moment where she had been reaching around his back and her chest brushed against his.

He had never been this close to a woman before, well a woman he was attracted, too. It felt nice.

"There," she said and her face was  _right_  there. "All done." She went to move away, but he caught her wrist and pulled her back to him.

"Thank you."

Their faces were so close that he could see the small flecks of green around her pupils. She had the most beautiful eyes and they were always so full of emotion. Right now, they were wide with shock. She hadn't expected him to pull her this near, but she wasn't pushing him away so she must have liked it.

"You're welcome." Her voice was nothing more than a whisper. Did her eyes just flick to his mouth?

They had.

Before he had a chance to chicken out, he covered her mouth with his. He had kissed woman before, but never had he initiated one.

She gasped, but it only took her seconds to kiss him back. Her hands traveled up his chest and buried themselves in his short hair. That triggered something within him and with a growl he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to his lab. He ignored the stab of pain and deepened the kiss.

Cautiously, Carol settled herself more firmly in his lap and their hips were flush against each other. He groaned at the feeling.

Suddenly, she was pulling away from him and was trying to catch her breath. Then with a smile, she lowered her mouth to his neck and began to litter kisses along his neck and jaw. An expected nip on his shoulder caused him to jerk his hips into hers. He felt her lips turn up against his shoulder and she nipped again and got the same result.

If she didn't stop, then he was going too...

A moan that wasn't one of theirs broke through their heated moment and Carol was instantly on her feet, with her knife in hand. It was only one walker, a middle-aged man, and she motioned for him to stay put.

"I-I got him." Her voice betrayed the nervousness she was feeling, but she didn't back down. She approached the walker, knife raised.

He reached for his crossbow, just in case something went wrong, but he knew that she needed this. Needed this kill to prove that she could defend herself and to prove that she wasn't a burden.

With a cry, she lunged at the thing and stabbed the small knife through its eye socket. The walker dropped like a bag of rocks and she was breathing heavily. She turned and expected to see him still sitting there, but found he was standing right behind her.

He gave her one of his rare smiles. "Good job."

She beamed back. "Thanks."

Cupping her cheek, he bent down and kissed her again. Never had she looked more beautiful, even with the dead walker's blood splattered all over her. The knife in her hand made a thump as it hit the dirt and she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

He was realizing very quickly that he could kiss this woman forever.

But, eventually they had to pull away.

"How about you skin that rabbit and I'll cook it. Then we can look for Sophia." She said and something flashed in her eyes.

Guilt?

Was she regretting kissing him? Of course, she was. Who was he? Just some backwoods boy, who no one, not even his own mama, had given a shit about. At least, she had realized that he was nothing before it was too late.

He moved to get to work on the rabbit, when she grabbed his arm and stole another kiss. Giving him a bright smile, she cupped his cheek.

"Thank you."

He had no idea what she was thanking him for, so he just gave her a nod and a small smile. That kiss, even though it had been a chaste one, made him realize that maybe this woman really did care for him after all.

* * *

Her baby girl was out there still, probably scared and hungry, and what was she doing? Kissing a man she was fast realizing she had feelings for. She didn't regret the kisses, not at all, but they shouldn't have been doing that right then.

After their breakfast of rabbit and canned peaches, they packed up their stuff, stomped out the fire and continued their search. Daryl had quickly found her daughter's tracks again and noticeably his steps quickened.

"These are fresher." He called back over his shoulder and she noted the slight hint of excitement in his voice. It warmed her heart that this man cared so much to look for Sophia and get happy when they were close.

"So, do you think she's near by?"

He nodded. "I say that there about a couple hours old. Hopefully, she's stopped somewhere to rest and we're able to catch up with her."

She reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Thank you."

"Why do you keep thankin' me?"

"Because you're a great man, Daryl, and you've done so much for me and my little girl." She didn't release his hand and was glad to see that he hadn't tried to let go of hers.

"Ain't nothin'."

"No, you're wrong. It's everything."

* * *

An hour later, Daryl suddenly stopped and cursed.

"What?" She joined his side.

"I lost 'em." He cursed again.

"How?" She didn't understand how tracks could suddenly disappear.

"There's too many other ones around. Look." He pointed to the dirt below him and she saw many pairs of footprints. They all treaded all over each other and not one print could be single out.

"They're walker tracks. Can tell by the draggin' and shit."

She gasped. If Sophia's tracks had led here, then that meant she had run into walkers. Several of them by the looks of it. Tears pricked her eyes.

"No." She cried.

Daryl looked defeated. His shoulders were hunched and his head hung low. " 'm sorry." He mumbled.

"You-You don't have to apologize, Daryl. You did all you could."

Her daughter was out there and it was most likely that she wasn't the same Sophia that had run off on the highway.

"Do you still want to keep lookin'? She's still out there."

She nodded. "Yeah." She could still be alive and she was going to hold on to that hope until she saw Sophia herself.

"Some of the tracks veer off this way." He pointed in a direction. "Let's follow it and see where it takes us."

"Okay," she agreed. Before they could take a step, they heard something rustling in the trees above them.

Walker? No, they couldn't climb. But it sounded too big to be a squirrel or raccoon.

"Mama?"

That voice. She had never been so happy to hear that voice in all her life.

"Mama is that you?" A blonde head poked out between the leaves from a branch below them.

It was her daughter. Her beautiful sweet, Sophia.

"Sophia, honey!" Her smile was so wide it almost split her face in too. "Come on down from there. You're safe! Thank God, we found you!"

She heard Daryl walk up behind her and she couldn't help but turn, through her arms around him and kiss him soundly on the mouth.

"Thank you so much." She whispered against his lips before she let him go. Then she turned and welcomed her smiling, unharmed and safe daughter in her arms.


	4. Chapter Four

Carol had insisted on carrying Sophia after an hour of their hike back. It was clear the girl was tired and needed rest. Daryl had offered first, but Carol had glared at him and he'd backed down.

"With that side already missing stitches? I don't think so." She scolded him and then motioned for her daughter to hop on her back. The girl's gangly arms and legs wrapped around her mother and they continued to walk on.

Carol kept on surprising him with her strength.

"When we get back, I'm going to have Hershel take a look at her," Carol said and looked at him. "She said she was fine, but I just want to make sure."

Daryl nodded and looked at the girl, now sleeping, on her mother's back. When they had found her, he had wondered if she would look at him with fear. She hadn't. She had smiled at him over her mama's shoulder.

They had walked in silence for a few hours. Daryl stayed slightly behind Carol and Sophia and looked around to make sure nothing popped out on them.

"You know," he spoke after he watched Carol shift the girl's weight on her back for the hundredth time. "I can carry her a bit if you want me to."

"For the last time, Daryl, I have her." She gave him a smile to let him know that she wasn't yelling at him. "It's been awhile since I've held my little girl like this."

Daryl didn't know what to else to say, so they just kept walking in silence. But he took that time to observe the woman and girl in front of him. It was obvious that they had both been happy to be reunited again. Sophia had been so scared being in the woods alone and Carol had been scared that her daughter had died.

Now, they were together and he knew that he was going to do everything in his power to make sure they stayed that way.

* * *

Sophia had finally woken up again and now walked alongside her mother. They weren't far from the farm and their steps seemed lighter.

"I can't wait to see the look on Shane's face when we get back," Carol said and wrapped an arm around Sophia's shoulder as they walked.

He looked at her in surprise. "Didn't take you for the gloatin' type."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Daryl." She gave him a smile that told him that he would he know all those things soon enough.

He smiled back.

"I can't wait to see Carl," Sophia spoke up.

"Why? Do you have a crush on him or somethin'?" Daryl lost himself in the ease of the moment. Never in his life would he have blurted something out like that. Especially in such a playful tone. What had this woman and daughter done to him in such a short amount of time? This wasn't normal Dixon behavior.

Sophia's face went red and she hid it in her mother's shoulder, who was laughing softly.

"No!" The girl cried. "He's just my friend. You know that, right, mom?" She looked up at her mother with wide eyes. The hint of her earlier blush still on her cheeks.

Carol smoothed down her daughter's blonde hair and smiled. "Of course, I do, honey." She turned to Daryl and winked.

It was odd, being at such ease with these two. Normally, he was wound tighter than a drum and the only words he would speak to anyone were to snap at them.

"I think I see Dale's RV!" Sophia suddenly exclaimed and pointed. A wide smile crossed her face and she tugged on Carol's arm.

Sure enough, through the gaps in the trees, they could see the top of the RV.

"Careful," Daryl warned with a smile. "Andrea might think we're walkers and shoot at us."

"Daryl, stop." Carol said trying to be serious but the playful gleam in her eyes gave her away.

"What's he talking about, mom? Andrea won't really think we're walkers, will she?"

"No," Carol reassured her.

"She thought I was one. Shot me right in the head." He turned and showed her the gaze that still covered the wound on his head. "See?"

Sophia's eyes got wider when she saw it and she looked at her mother for confirmation. She nodded at the silent question.

"And you're still alive?" She asked the question in awe.

Daryl smirked. "Yep. Only a Dixon can kill a Dixon."

"So, if you marry my mama no one will be able to hurt us?" Sophia asked, her brown eyes filled with innocence while both Carol and Daryl stopped in their tracks.

"Uh..." Daryl looked at Carol for help. She looked just as shocked as he did, but she was able to recover quickly.

"I think that only worked if you were born a Dixon, Sophia. We weren't born Dixons."

The little girl looked saddened by the news, but brightened up instantly the moment they stepped into the clearing before the farmhouse and she spotted people milling around the campsite.

"There's Carl!" She cried and took off. All the fatigue from earlier seemed to have faded at the sight of her best friend.

Carol didn't have the heart to tell her to wait for them and instead fell in step with Daryl, whose face was still red from Sophia's earlier comment.

"I'm sorry about that," she said. "She usually doesn't blurt things out like that."

"S'alright. It didn't bother me."

"That's why your face is as red as a tomato." She smiled brightly at him and gently nudged him in the ribs. Still in awe that he didn't flinch from her touch anymore.

"It ain't red," he mumbled and ducked his head.

Carol looked over at the camp and her smile grew wider. "Looks like everyone else has seen Sophia."

Daryl looked up, too. Everyone was now surrounding the little girl. Carl had his arms around her in a hug and Rick knelt in front of her with a smile on his face.

Shane was nowhere to be seen. Daryl snorted. Of course not.

"I know she looks fine, but I'm going to have Hershel look over, just in case." They grew closer to the rest of the group and Daryl watched as Rick stood up and began to walk towards them.

"Sounds like a good idea." He managed to say before Rick joined them.

"Thank God, you two are alright and you found Sophia."

"Told you we would." Daryl growled and moved to walk around the man. He wasn't angry that Rick had said what he had; he was just disappointed that his time alone with Carol was now at an end. He had come to enjoy her company.

He missed her lips on his, but knew that with the rest of the group around and her daughter back she'd probably never kiss him again. He stalked to his campsite and ignored the rest of the group as they gathered around mother and daughter.

Even though he wished for more time with Carol, he was glad that they had found Sophia and made it back to the farm safely.

* * *

The sun was setting and Daryl decided he had sulked enough at his campsite and decided to see what was going on with the rest of the group. Not that he cared; he just needed something to do before he went insane with his thoughts about Carol. Earlier, he had seen Hershel briefly and had him fix the last few stitches on his side. He hadn't stuck around and after saying thank you to the old man, he was back at his campsite.

Unfortunately, everyone was getting ready for bed and nothing exciting seemed to be happening. Shane wasn't even around for him to smirk at.

"Sophia and Carol are in the house." He nearly jumped out of his skin when Glenn approached him. The young man was light on his feet, but with his hunter's instinct he should have heard him. That also told him that he wasn't focusing on his surroundings.

"Ain't lookin' for them."

Glenn only shrugged. "Sorry. It just looked liked you were looking for someone and I thought it would be them."

"Well, why don't you find that farmer's daughter of yours and pest her." With a huff, he walked away from the Asian man, but instead of heading back to his camp, he began walking towards the farmhouse.

He was such a fucking pussy.

Just as he walked up the steps to the porch, the door flung open and Carol stepped out. She nearly ran into him.

"Oh, sorry," she quickly apologized and stepped back.

"S'alright."

She tilted her head slightly. "What are you doing up here?"

"Jus' wanted to check in on Sophia before I called it a night."  _And I wanted to see you, too._

Carol smiled. "She's actually sleeping right now. Hershel placed her in the same room Carl was in and Beth's in there with her, too. I think she's glad that there's another girl closer to her age now."

Daryl nodded. "Well, uh, I can walk you back to the RV, if you want."

"Oh, well, Hershel offered me the spare bedroom upstairs so I can stay closer to Sophia."

"Uh okay, then. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." He said, suddenly feeling awkward and he turned to leave, but she grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"Stay with me."

"What?" He blinked in confusion. What was she asking?

"In the spare bedroom. Stay with me." She repeated.

"Why?" He blurted out before he could close his mouth.

"Because I want you there." She let go of his wrist and didn't look at him. "But if you don't to, then that's okay."

"N-No, I'll stay with you. Jus' let me get some stuff from my tent."

She looked relieved and her face lit up. "Okay. Hershel also said I could take a shower if I wanted, so if you want to, too, then you're welcome to it."

When was the last time he had been clean? Back at the CDC, he remembered. He didn't even think he remembered what a hot shower felt like anymore.

"Alright, I'll, uh, see you in a little bit

"Okay, I'm going to take a quick shower, but the room is just up the stairs and it's the last one on the right. Just walk right in when you get there."

He nodded and turned to walk back to his camp. This all felt like a dream. There was no way someone like Carol would ask someone like him to stay the night with her. They probably weren't going to do anything, but the thought of sharing a bed sent a shiver down his spine. The only other time he had been that close to a woman was when they had spent the night in that deer stand.

He knew when he woke up the next morning, he would have the same  _problem_  as before, but his body didn't lie. He desired her. He  _wanted_  her. He just didn't know if she felt the same for him.

Maybe he'd find out tonight.

* * *

With a towel wrapped securely around her body, Carol double-checked the hallway before sprinting to her room. In her haste to finally feel clean again, she had forgotten the clothes she had placed on her bed. Luckily, no one had been in the hallway.

She grabbed her underwear and let the towel fall to the floor. Quickly she shimmed into them, grabbed for the plain gray cotton shirt, and pulled it over her head. Daryl would be there any minute and she had just told him to walk in. She'd be so embarrassed if he-

The door creaked open and the sound of booted feet suddenly coming to a halt confirmed her fear.

Daryl was right behind her and all she was wearing was shirt and some panties. God, this couldn't get any better. Maybe he'd bolt before she turned and faced him.

He didn't and when she finally faced him, she was surprised to see his beautiful blue eyes locked on her face. She didn't know why she just didn't grab her sleep shorts and put them on quick. The intensity of his eyes had her frozen in place.

Suddenly, he dropped his clothes to the floor and unslung his crossbow from his back to place it by the door. He closed the door and in two large strides he was in front of her, hands buried in her short hair and lips fused on hers.

* * *

_God fucking dammit!_

This woman had set out to kill him. The moment he had walked in on her wearing nothing but a pair of panties and a shirt, the primal side of him took over and he had quickly attached his lips to her.

In only a matter of moments, they both on the bed, completely naked. In the back of his mind, he knew things were going too fast but that part of his mind wasn't in control.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He asked while his eyes searched hers for any sign of reluctance. Deep down, he was just waiting for her to push him off her and tell him to get the fuck away.

"I want this." She cupped his cheeks gently. "I know this is all happening fast, but I feel something for you, Daryl. Something I've never felt before and I want  _you."_

That was all the consent he needed and suddenly, he was inside her.

Needless to say, he never did get that shower.

* * *

Something was on her mind, he noted while she lazily traced patterns on his chest. She had been silent for several minutes and he got the sinking feeling that she regretted everything that had just happened. It had been amazing to him. Initially, he had been embarrassed by how short he had lasted, but Carol had gently grabbed his hand and showed him how to pleasure her and bring her to her peak.

He'd make it better for her next time, he promised.

"What's wrong?" He finally asked, mentally preparing himself for the rejection.

The fingers on his chest stopped and she sighed. "I was just thinking about something I said earlier. About waiting to see the look on Shane's face."

"Yeah?"

"I shouldn't have said it." She shifted and propped herself on her elbow so she could look down on him.

"Why not? The fucker thought lookin' for your daughter was a waste of time, but you proved him wrong."

Tears filled her eyes and he suddenly didn't know what to do. "He wasn't the only one who thought her dead. Those first couple of nights, I thought she was. That there was no way my little girl could survive out there alone with those things walking around. What kind of mother thinks like that?" She choked back a sob. "But then when you came back, hurt and almost dead because you looked for her, I found hope. I just knew that if a man like you was looking for her, my precious Sophia would be found safe and alive." She smiled though her tears. "She was."

"Hey," he pulled her closer. "You helped, too, and I think you are a great mama. That girl of yours clearly loves you."

Carol buried her face in his shoulder. "Thank you, Daryl. It means so much that you would say that."

Wrapping both arms around her, he almost pulled her body on top of his. "It's true."

That night, he held the woman he suddenly realized he was in love with.

* * *

"Are you and my mom dating now?" He had watched the little girl walk from the house to the RV, where he was, with her mom not far behind. Carol stopped to talk to Lori a few feet away, but her daughter made a beeline right for him.

"I don't think you can call that anymore. It ain't like I can take her out to dinner and a movie."

Sophia crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, Daryl. Are you and my mom together?"

His gaze shifted to look over Sophia's shoulder and he caught Carol's eyes. She gave him a shy smile and a wave. He returned it.

He knew his life would never be the same now. He had someone he cared about and who cared for him in return. The world had ended, but he had managed to find happiness.

"Yeah, Sophia," he finally answered. "We're together."

"Good." The little girl smiled. "You make her happy and she deserves to be happy."

"I know."

Carl stepped out of his tent, then, and called over to his friend.

"Just a minute," she said and then turned to look back at the hunter. "Maybe one day you'll make me and my mama Dixons?"

He had to smile at that. The girl was dead set on being a Dixon, something he found odd. No one wanted to be a Dixon and no one associated with them. But he wouldn't mind making Carol his.

So, he answered her.

"Maybe one day." He looked back at Carol, who was now back to talking with Lori.  _Maybe one day soon._

**_The End_ **


End file.
